Do you trust your boss with your data? Just 17% would lend their smartphone to their manager

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Posted on Aug 31, 2018

As employees become increasingly aware of their privacy and personal data, it is more important than ever before for managers to handle information carefully, but how much do staff really trust their managers?

In a survey conducted by Atomik Research, instantprint discovered that 36% of workers would never allow their boss to borrow their phone under any circumstances. In comparison, just 17% are extremely likely to do so.

As well as this, 43% of employees would require a pay rise in order to reveal WhatsApp messages to their boss, while a further 21% will never consider revealing such information.

Although employees are reluctant to share personal info with their manager, the study shows that staff are willing to part with potentially embarrassing info to further their career. Some 22% would accept an interview for their dream job, even if they had to disclose their browsing history to the interviewer beforehand.

A further 18% would opt to hand over their dream employer their personal photos and videos in exchange for an interview, but just 12% would accept the interview if their parents would be in the room, with this dropping to 4% if an ex was invited.

Despite the privacy scandals that have rocked Facebook in 2018, the majority of people appear happy to continue using social media in and out of the workplace, as 55% would rather give up alcohol, chocolate or their holidays for 12 months than delete their Facebook and other accounts.

Adam Carnell, co-founder of instantprint, discusses how small businesses can teach their staff about privacy and protect their personal data:

“The Cambridge Analytica scandal and GDPR have really opened people’s eyes to what information companies have on them.“It’s key for all companies to have a social media policy in place and handle their employee data with care. The landscape can be tough for small businesses, but that doesn’t mean they can compromise the security of their data.”